Stuffing-box for traveling cables, rods, &amp;c.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

S. W. GHILBS.

STUFFING BOX FOR TRAVELING CABLES, RODS, 8w.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.14.1905.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

a & FY.

. UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

SINCLAIR W. CHILES, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

STUFFl NG-BOX FOR TRAVELING CABLES, RODS, 80c.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

latented April 3, 1906;

Application filed October 14, 1906. Serial No. 282,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SINCLAIR W. GnfLEs,

of SouthBethlehem, county of Northampton, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Stufiing-Boxes for Traveling Cables, Rods, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to stufingboxes for traveling cables, rods, &c.; and it consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a stuffing-box through which a cable or rod having a helical surface may freely travel while maintaining a practically air and liquid tight condition;

My invention has particular use in connectionwith the cables used in caisson-work, and more particularly with the air-lock appliances thereof throu h which the cable and buckets pass; but I 0 not restrict the use of my'invention to any special application in the arts, as there are numerous uses to which 4 it may be applied.

My inventlon consists of a tubular box or frame, combined with an annular packing surrounding the cable and having 1ts hole shaped to conform to the helical configuration of the surface of the cable, the said annular packing being free to rotate within the box or frame during the travel of the cable.

My invention also consists in forming the rotating annular packing of metal and havin means for lubricating its hole and cable. y invention further consists in providing antifriction-bearings at top and bottom of the annular packing and contained within the box or frame, whereby the packing is free to rotate when the cable is moved in either direction.

construction, which, together with the features above s ecified, will be better understood by re erence to the drawings, in which- Figurel is a sectional elevation of a stuffing-box embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 3 is an elevation of my improved stuffing-box, and Fig. 4 is acrosssection of the same on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

A is the box or frame and may be made of any outward shape to suit the particular use to which it is to be put. As shown, this case the cable.

' is'circular in its body, with flanges A A at its ends. to a diameter considerably larger than the The interior of this box A is bored cable R, which travels through it. The lower end of the case is closed by an annular 1plug B of hardened steel screwed into it and avmg a circular groove 6 in its up or surface in which are placed antifrictionballs G. Resting uBon these balls is a hardened-steel ring F. pon this steel ring F is arranged the tubular packing D, preferably of metal. Above this acking and resting upon itis a second har ened-steel ring F which supports a series of antifriction-balls G, the up ward thrust of which is received by the lower end of a steel gland C, having a groove 0 receiving the ba ls and screwed into the upper end of the case A.

The parts F, D, and F should preferably closely fit the case so as to make a reasonably tight fit, but with freedom of rotation within the case as a journal-bearing.

The holes through the parts F D F should be bored with helical grooves to correspond to the helical ribs of the cable formed by the stands thereof, so that the travel of the cable will cause the packing D and the rings F F to rotate with a speed commensurate with that of the cable, while maintaining a com paratively tight fit between these parts and The holes in the plu B and the gland C are slightly larger than t e cable, so that it can travel freely through them.

To properly lubricate the packing D, I

provide it with transverse pockets filled with plumbago lubricant E WhlCll not only lubricates the cable R, but also the interior surface of the case A. Any other means for lubricating may be employed in lieu of that shown.

While I prefer to make. the holes in the rings F F w1th helical grooves, as above descrlbed, 1t is not necessary to so form them, as their frictional contact with the ends of the ackin D would cause them to rotate upon the bal s. It is also evident that these rings F F need not closely fit the interior of the case It will be further evident that these rings F F may be omitted altogether by allowing the balls G G to roll in contact with the ends of the packing D, in Whichcase it should be made of hardened steel, or its ends, at least, should be hardened.

The gland C is screwed down sufficiently to keep the several parts in good operative relation and to take up all lost motion due to wear.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 2 the rin s F F and balls are dispensed with and t e packin permitted to rotate against the gland C irectly and upon an inwardly-directed flan e B of the case at the bottom. This case may be arranged in any position-permanent or movable on the ap aratus in which it is employed.

While i prefer the construction shown, I do not limit myself to the details, as they may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.

1. A stuffing-box for cables &c., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to engage the strands or ribs of the cable.

2. A stuffing-box for cables &c., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to engage the strands or ribs of the cable, and adjustable means carried by the box or frame for receiving the end thrust of the annular packing and compensate for wear.

3. A stuffing-box for cables &c., consisting ofa box or frame through which the cable .travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to en age the strands or ribs of the cable, adjustable means carried by the box or frame for receiving the end thrust of the annular packing and comensate for wear, and antifriction-bearings between the annular packing and the means for taking the end thrust.

4. A stuffing-box for cables 850., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having itshole provided with helical grooves to en age the strands or ribs of the cable, adjustable means carried by the box or frame for receiving the end thrustof the annular packing and com' ensate for wear, and antifriction-bearings between the annular packing and the means for taking the end thrust consisting of rin s resting against the ends of the annular ac ing and balls between the rings an the means for receiving the end thrust on the box or frame.

5. A stufiing-boxfor cables &c.-, consisti of a box or frame through which the cable erases travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as'to rotate onan axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to en age the strands or ribs of the cable, adjustabl e means carried by the box or frame for receiving the end thrust of the annular packing and compensate for wear, and antifriction-bearings etween the annular packing and the means fortaking the end thrust consisting of rings box or frame so as to rotate on an axis con' centric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to en age the strands or ribs of the cable and in w ln'ch the acking is provided with pockets containing ubricant.

7. A stufIing-box for cables &c., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on'an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to engage the strands or ribs of the cable, and means to lubricate the cable in passing through the annular packing.

. 8. A stuffing-box for cables &c., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing journaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to engage the strands or ribs of the cable, antifriction-bearings arranged upon each end of the annular acking, and means to hold the antifrictionbearings upon the box or frame.

9. A stufiing-box for cables &c., consisting of a box or frame through which the cable travels, an annular packing j ournaled in the box or frame so as to rotate on an axis concentric with the cable and having its hole provided with helical grooves to engage the strands or ribs of the cable, antifriction-bearings arranged upon each end of the annular packing, means to hold the antifriction-bearings u on the box or frame, and means for adjusting the said bearings to take up the lost motion due to wear.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

SINCLAIR W. CHILES. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. GRoMAN, M. .P. CAsHNER. 

